Bush's New Intelligence Czar

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Negroponte's introduction to the intel community went well, at least. House intelligence committee chairman Peter Hoekstra, a Republican, said that at a retreat late last week for the heads of the 15 intelligence agencies and the committeewhich another source said was held at The Farm, the CIA's secret training facilityGoss, Hayden, Mueller, Rumsfeld's intelligence aide Stephen Cambone and the others got along well and that all seemed ready to help Negroponte succeed. "I think they're all genuinely excited about him coming on board. I talked to Porter. He's thrilled," said Hoekstra. "I think all of these folks recognize that this is where the President wants to go."

In the end, whether Negroponte succeeds or fails in his new job will depend largely on the force of his personality as well as the strength of his relationship with the President. After the announcement of his nomination, Negroponte returned to the State Department. While grabbing a snack in the cafeteria, he bumped into a fellow ambassador, who complimented him for maintaining the element of surprise until the President was ready to break the big news. "The first requirement of the national director of intelligence," Negroponte deadpanned, "is being able to keep a secret." But unless the officeholder can make sure secrets are as well shared as they are guarded, no one will be laughing. --Reported by Timothy J. Burger, Massimo Calabresi, Matthew Cooper, Elaine Shannon and Douglas Waller/Washington, Aparisim Ghosh and Charles Crain/Baghdad and Marguerite Michaels/Chicago